Major rivers in spate in Odisha: Govt alerts five district collectors

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, July 21:

The Odisha government today asked the collectors of five districts to remain on high alert in view of the flood threat following  torrential and incessant rain in the upper catchment of several rivers.

“We have alerted the collectors of Baleswar, Bhadrak, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur and Keonjhar districts to remain on high alert. As the water level of Baitarani, Budhabalanga and Subarnarekha rivers are set to cross the danger mark, instructions have been given to the collectors of these districts to make all possible arrangements to tackle the flood situation”, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Mohapatra told media persons this morning.

He also said that the water level of Bansadhara river in the undivided Koraput district was flowing just below the danger level.

Meanwhile, flood threat in Odisha has become imminent as the water level of some major rivers and tributaries were flowing above the warning mark  following two days of incessant rain.

The water level was on the rise in Mahanadi, Devi, Kushabhadra, Vamsadhara and Brahmani, according to officials.

The Vamsadhara river was flowing near the danger level at two places. At Kashinagar in Gajapati district, the water was flowing at 53.58 metres against a danger level of 53.60 metres at 6 a.m. Monday, officials said.At Gunpur in Rayagada district, the water was flowing at 82.17 metres against a danger level of 83 metres, he said.

According to the latest report, water level of Baitarani river has crossed the danger mark at Ananadpur in Keonjhar district.

Reports from Kalahandi said road communication between Junagarh and Koraput, Dharmagarh and Vishakhapatnam has been disrupted because the flood water of  river Hati was flowing over the Junagarh bridge at a height of 3 feet.

Reports from Baleswar said the Jalaka river was flowing over the danger level at Jaleswar while  hundreds of acres of paddy fields have been submerged in Bamanghati sub division in Mayurbhanj district following a breach in a Minor Irrigation Project (MIP) dam yesterday.

Reports from Nayagarh district said road communication with eight villages of  Mahatpalli panchayat has been snapped following the washing out of the approach road by the flood waters of Goja river at Mahatpalli village in Ranpur block.

In Jajpur district, road communication in six villages of Samparu panchayat has been disrupted following three breaches in Kuanria Nullah late last night.

Two dead

Meanwhile, the bodies of the two persons, who were swept away by strong currents in the Gangua canal at Nuagan on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar yesterday, were recovered at Kukudaghai Ghat this morning.

The bodies have been identified as that of Prasanna Behera (28) of Nuagan village and Kedara Behera (18) of Harchandi Sahi of Old Town area under Lingaraj police station limits.